Opener for canned liquids



March 11, 1952 N. J. KABANUCK OPENER FOR CANNED LIQUIDS Filed May 17,1948 Nicholas J. Kabanuck INVENTOR.

BY WWW 3% Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE OPENER FORCANNED LIQUIDS Nicholas J. Kabanuck, San Rafael, Calif. Application May117, 1948, Serial No. 27,373

2 claims. (01. 30 -641) f \1 Th s invention rela es t improved ,rna s fpiercing the usual non-rimmed cans whereb the device can readily beapplied to s c cansor th like to permit convenient handling thereof,although it is to be undertsood that wherever de sired, the presentdevice may be used on other types of cans as well, being able tofunction thereon.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a piercing means forpuncturing the tops of such cans so that they are made ready fordispensing of the fluids contained therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that isadjustable to accommodate various sized cans and thereby eliminate thenecessity for employing separate can piercing means for the differenttypes in use.

Another object of the invention is to enable the opener to be collapsedwhen not in use and thereby take up a minor amount of storage space.

Features of the invention reside in the provision of stop means toretain the device on a can, platform support means for actuation by theuser thereof and means to grasp the opener while the can is beingpierced and prevent slipping.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course ofthe following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andwherein like characters of reference denote like parts throughout,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention in position on a can tobe pierced;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device positioned on a can;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the piercing device in positionon a can, and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the piercing device in collapsed positionready for storing.

Referring to the figures, the can puncturing means is identifiedgenerally by numeral l and is retained on a can l2 by can engaging means14 and stop means I 6.

Can gripping means I4 is constructed of two members, namely a springclip l8 adapted to seat on the outer diameter of can 12 and is offlexible steel construction and includes a pair of oppositely disposedguide ears 2!} on the open ends thereof. Clip [8 is reinforced by aguard 22 welded or otherwise suitably secured thereto and extends arounda substantial portion thereof. Guard 22fassists clip 18 in retention oncan l2. A Y-shaped stop I6 assists in preventing any further downwardtravel of the piercing device 01.1 cam l2 by means of laterallyextending stop ears 24. As is clearly seen in Figures 1 and 3, stops 24rests on the upper surface 26 of can J2 and thereby limit any furthertravel of the'device. Stop 16 is riveted to a lever member 28 bysuitable flat headed rivets 30. Lever 28 is in turn, secured to springclips [4 by means of a headed rivet 32 on the depending leg of lever 28.

Lever 28 is preferably constructed of spring steel and consists of alongitudinally elongated leg 34 integral with an outwardly bowedlaterally extending depending leg 36. As is best illustrated in Figure2, leg 34 includes an elongated slot 38 near the free end thereof andseats therein in 2. depending relation a prong or punch 40. Thus, it isclearly apparent that piercing prong 49 is adjustable within theconfines of slot 38 from the forwardly extended position shown in fulllines in Figure 3 to the rear position shown in dotted lines in the samefigure. Piercing point 40 is thereby capable of being adjusted toaccommodate various sized cans, such as milk cans or beer cans, or thelike. A second punch 42 is mounted in non-movable relation on the rearportion of lever 28 at a point adjacent to depending leg 36 and providesthe second piercing means necessary in the operation of such devices. Itis to be noted that prong 40 is of somewhat longer length (Figure 3)than prong 42, so that when the device is mounted on a can, prongs 40and 42 are adjacent the top thereof. A short support bar 44 is mountedbelow leg 34 and is of such length of approximately the distance betweenprongs 40 and 42. Strengthening bar 44 is 1ongitudinally slotted at 46in the manner of slot 38 for admission of punch 49 therethrough and isretained on leg 34, together with an actuating platform 48 on the uppersurface of leg 34 by suitable rivets or the like 50.

In use, spring clip [4 is separated and slid into engagement with thesides of a can l2, guide ears 20 serving as the guide means foradmission of can I2. Spring clip [4 is then slid downwardly on the sidesof the can until further movement is prevented by stop ears 24. Thisplaces the actuating lever or handle in the position indicated in Figure1, and the housewife or other user, grips ears 2!! to retain the devicefirmly on can I2 while the palm of the hand is placed on platform 48 andlever 28 is urged downwardly, thereby enabling punches 40 and 42 topierce the top of thecan. When lever 28 is released; the resilienceofthe spring construction will cause it to move upwardly again and thedevice is ready to be removed. Prong 40 is adjustable laterally toaccommodate various types and sizes of cans.

When the piercing device has been removed from a can, lever 28 ispivoted on swivel means 32 until it overlies the closed portion ofspring clip 14, as is illustrated in Figure 4, and the device is nowready to be stored. The surface of spring [4 acts as a guard againstaccidental engagement of the hand of the user with the pointed prongs 40and 42.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various changes in size, shapeand arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. Means for venting and opening a can comprising gripping means adaptedfor detachable concentric positioning on the side wall of a can, aforked member extending upwardly from said gripping means and includinga pair of stop ears for engaging the edge of the top of the can andlimiting downward movement of the gripping means, a lever pivotallysecured at one end thereof to said gripping means whereby said lever maybe swung upwardly from a position adjacent said gripping means to aposition overlying the top of the can, a fixed prong depending from saidlever adjacent the lateral end and a longitudinally adjustable prongdepending from said lever.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said member for limiting downwardmovement of the gripping means is secured to said one end of the lever.

NICHOLAS J. KABANUCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,215,821 Larger Feb. 13, 191'?1,230,344 Tweeddale June 19, 1917 2,292,766 Molander Aug. 11, 1942

